The invention relates to a charging plug for connection in an insertion direction to a charging socket of a device which is intended to be supplied with electrical charging energy or which provides the charging energy, having at least one plug contact which can be connected to a charging energy line so as to conduct charging energy, and having a switching device, in accordance with the switching state of which the supply with charging energy takes place, the switching device being constructed with a switching member which has a closed and an open switching state and with an actuation member for influencing the switching state.
Charging plugs of the above-mentioned type are generally known and are used, for example, for charging the batteries of at least partially electrically driven motor vehicles. The charging plug can be connected to a charging socket of the motor vehicle and/or a charging socket of the device which is constructed as a charging station and which provides the charging energy. Before the charging operation can be started, the switching state of the switching device is queried so that malfunctions, for example, owing to an incorrect plugging operation, can be prevented and other safety aspects can be taken into account. To this end, the switching device may be connected to another plug contact of the charging plug and a conductor, for example, an earthing line of the charging plug, so as to transmit signals. The charging plug may be constructed in such a manner that it meets the requirements of the draft of the standard IEC 61851-1 Ed. 2.0 or the standard which is derived from this draft.
Since charging stations and motor vehicles often stand in the open air during the charging operation, contamination and moisture may be introduced into the charging plug, the moisture in particular being able to damage current-carrying components of the charging plug in the long term owing to corrosion or electromigration, with the result that the function of the charging plug cannot be ensured in the long term.